Is this normal After 2 days

[method0075]

So I got 10lbs of live rock cured with live sand cured put it all together in a ten gallon tank . I tested the water parameters today and here`s what they are???

PH 8.2
amonia 0.0
nitrite 0.0
nitrate 0.0

I tested these 3 times now to be sure and these are the readings... Did my 10gal cycle already or what???

 

[seaham358]

No it did not cycle because there was nothing to make it cycle... No die off from the LR no shrimp added to rot... And 2 days is not enough time for a cycle to begin.
It is possible you my not even get a cycle with cured LR. Give it some time an see if you get any die off from the LR. Did you get the LR local?

 

[method0075]

The live rock came from a local store. There was no pugnent odor to it and it has purple alge on it. Some of the peices have very small polyps that have have what look like tentacles. Anyway I`m thinking that my tank never cycled because of the live rock and sand being cured?? Is this possible? The store is 5 minutes down the road from me

 

[GSXRDan]

Go to the grocery store and buy some raw shrimp, 1 or 2, and through them in. As this starts to rot the tank water will begin to cycle. Just because the rock is cured doesn't mean the tank has cycled. You need to get the decomposition going by giving the tank something to break down.

By the way, were are you at in MD?

 

[method0075]

Whitemarsh area. I tested the water again this mroning and the same results. If the LR is cured and the water eadings are correct do I still have to do a cycle?

 

[Wooster]

yes you do. all of the parameters being down doesn't mean that a cycle took place. actually one of the main ways to tell if it is complete is if your tests show 0ppm. for ammonia and 0 for nitrite as well, however that there is a reading for nitrate since it is at the end of the cycle.

 

[method0075]

If I start a cycle with the shrimp will it go faster then normal, cured live rock and sand? Don`t worry I`m not eager to add fish infact I want to make sure they are being introduced into a quality enviroment.

 

[Wooster]

I believe that it will, not that it will be just a couple of days, but 10 gal. tanks can cycle faster than a much larger one). Plus it will culture the bacteria enough to handle a good sized bio load more than if you used just one sall fish to cycle it, and you are not hurting any fish. JMO

 

[revhtree]

I agree with adding raw shrimp to get the cycle going. In that small a tank I would only add a half of one. You should see your tank cycle pretty quick with the lr in there. Just be patient!! The fun is coming!!

Also exactly what wooster said....You will see Nitrates at the end of the cycle, and probably some brown diatoms form on the sand and glass.

 

[seaham358]

IMO if you have cured LR there is no need to cause a cycle because there is already benificial bacteria on the LR. This is the reason for a cycle to make/grow this bacteria.
I set up my 55 with 50lbs LR and never had a cycle, had a fish in the tank after a week went by. Did not want to wait to long so the bacteria would not die. They could add the shrimp and see waht happen but if the rick is good cured there should be no signs of ammonia...
Can not hurt to add a small shrimp and wait a week or 2 and see what happens. Just remember you might not see any cycle..

 

[method0075]

2 weeks now... Everything is normal reading wise. 2 peppermint shrimp, 3 emerald crabs, and 2 red legged hermits. All appear healthy and happy. I`m going to wait 2 more weeks till I try a fish. But thought I`d share an update. Also my live rock is starting to show growth of life. Purple and red algea is growing from rock to rock day by day now and I`m noticing more living things on the rock itself. I`m going to post pics of the progress when I get the chance.

 

[midiman]

Seaham is right. A "Cycle" is nothing more than the process of building up of the very bacteria that may very well already be present on your LR in sufficient numbers to serve as an adequate filter. YOu may experience very little additional "cycle" ... but it is wise to test to system's response to additional bioload - in the form of a shrim, not a live fish.

The cycle needs to be maintained with an ammonia source for the bacteria to break down.

 

[thepirate]

i'm in a similar situation.

added 130 gallon tank.

added shrimp (decomposing well) and 40kg of live rock 8 days ago, the cycle still hasn't started yet.

nitrite - 0.1
amonia - 0.1
nitrate - 0.1
phosphates 0 - 0.1
ph - 8.3

not sure whats happening, i'm going to leave it for a couple of weeks and monitor it.

mark

 

[midiman]

not sure whats happening, i'm going to leave it for a couple of weeks and monitor it.

That will proably be all you need to do. Ammonia will go to 0, then nitrites, too.

You are still a bit low on the LR, though, if you want to rely on it for filtration. 130 gal can use 85 -120 Kg.